Electric nightmare

[Roger Winegarner]

07 6.7
I had parked my truck for several days with no apparent issues.
Went to use it again and wouldn't crank.
After changing out pcm ,ecm and alternator I thought I had it solved.
Soon after the etc light and service 4 wd light came on intermittently.
Exhaust brake will not work now either.
Shop suggests changing map sensor for brake and transfer case shift motor.
Has anyone experienced a total electrical failure like this?

 

[Ozymandias]

You need a shop that has at least a little clue from how these vehicles work, they seem to use the parts gun a lot.

And read through the forum, especially the 4wd light is a common cause.

 

[Jim W]

OK: How old are the batteries and were they load check before the shop starts to throw parts at the truck? Was the battery wiring checked for continuity and was the grounds cleaned of corrosion, especially the crossover battery cable between the two batteries!

After these are check I would also start looking for DCT codes that are stored in the ECM! To see what your issue really is and the problem! You do need a code reader or you can do the key trick. Were some of these codes present when the shop started to work on the truck such as P0562, P0604 and P2509.

Per several members who are very familiar with FCA vehicles on this site, Dodge/RAM ECM's do not fail! So, this is why I question the shop doing the work!

 

[seafish]

WOW,..you just spent ALOT of money on parts that may or may not have needed to be replaced...did you or your shop even think about starting with the basics first ??

Here's what you need to do before spending ANY more money--

Check the charge state and internal condition of both batteries using either a load tester or a battery hygrometer or preferably BOTH.

If one or both of the batteries test bad, then you have found at least part of your problem and you should replace BOTH batteries with new ones, even if one of them tests "good". This step will eliminate the potential for a bad battery to be causing your symptoms.

After testing and.or replacing the batteries, you need to carefully inspect, remove, clean and then properly reconnect EACH of your battery power and ground connections and then do the same to the additional battery ground to frame and ground to engine block connections.

You also need to carefully inspect and check the condition of the crossover cable which is the large wire connecting each battery positive to each other so that they work together as designed. It is fairly common for the XO cable to corrode and fail INTERNALLY (i.e. underneath the insulation) and cause multiple charging and other electrical system gremlins, the most commons of which is overcharging the passenger side battery to the point of failure which quickly leads to other electrical problems!!!


just my .02